Trays of various kinds are known in the art and typically serve to support other objects. As one illustrative example, a modern fast food restaurant offers a variety of food products where at least some of the food products require just-in-time or near-in-time final assembly prior to provision of those food products to a given consumer. In some cases at least one or more of these ingredients are stored on a corresponding tray or trays to hold such ingredients in readiness for use when filling a given customer order. In some cases the ingredients may require special handling during storage pending such a need. For example, the ingredients may require special heating or cooling treatment and the tray will be configured to fit within a corresponding tray receiving compartment that offers the appropriate storage conditions.
Modern service-based enterprises often face significant challenges with respect to ensuring the efficiency and accuracy of their assemblage processes. The root causes for such difficulties are many and varied. Such assemblage may require the participation of a number of service personnel. This, in turn, can lead to mis-communications regarding what, exactly, is to be done to complete a given order. Efficiency requirements can also lead to problems in this regard when service personnel are allowed only a relatively brief period of time in which to complete their particular event contributions. Problems also often exist with respect to the knowledge base of such personnel and/or the frequency and/or regularity of training requirements that often attend the very high employee turnover rates that tend to typify many service-oriented enterprises.
As a result, in some cases a worker may select an inappropriate ingredient when filling a given customer order. In other cases, the worker may not return remaining unused ingredients as may be contained within or on a tray to the correct storage location. In yet other cases the worker may return such a tray to a correct general storage location but may not properly replace the tray within a corresponding tray receiving container. This, in turn, can lead to incorrect storage of the ingredients and possible diminution of the subsequent usability of those ingredients as a result.
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions and/or relative positioning of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of various embodiments of the present invention. Also, common but well-understood elements that are useful or necessary in a commercially feasible embodiment are often not depicted in order to facilitate a less obstructed view of these various embodiments of the present invention. It will further be appreciated that certain actions and/or steps may be described or depicted in a particular order of occurrence while those skilled in the art will understand that such specificity with respect to sequence is not actually required. It will also be understood that the terms and expressions used herein have the ordinary meaning as is accorded to such terms and expressions with respect to their corresponding respective areas of inquiry and study except where specific meanings have otherwise been set forth herein.